In Review: The Johnston & Murphy Tyndall Cap Toe Boot

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There are two kinds of good-looking boots most of us reach for in fall. There’s the clunky & tough as hell work-boot inspired suckers (like most Redwings and Wolverines), and then there’s the sleeker boots that are easy to dress up. With leather soles and high prices, you’d be understandably reluctant to wear most of the latter on crappy weather days. And that’s why the Tyndall is a welcome addition to the boot world. With a super-low profile yet still grip-equipped rubber sole, and a price point that’s affordable for most, these are boots you can show off without ending up on your ass on the sidewalk, or with your butt in a financial sling.

The design is perfect. Perfect toe shape, perfect silhouette… these things are suit worthy (although you might want to swap out the stock laces for some slicker waxed dress laces on suited days). Most boot makers either go with a plain toe or a full wingtip, but J&M split the difference here and stuck with the half-brogue cap toe + medallion. That extra bit of smooth leather on the vamp dresses them up more than a wingtip. It’s the same reason why the Allen Edmonds Strand seems to be more dressed up, visually, than their McAllister.

Construction and materials are plenty solid for a mid $100s when-on-sale shoe. The leather is soft, flexible, and has a nice out-of-the-box shine to it. Not in a plastic way though. The Italian calfskin has a bit of subtle marbling and color variation to it, which goes a long way in making them easy on the eyes. Sure the sole is bonded to the upper and they’re made in China, but they feel plenty sturdy as well as flexible for the reasonable price point. The cap toe version is only available in the can’t-miss tan (which is a perfect shade for an all-blues outfit). It’d be nice to see J&M make these in the same black and burgundy leather that the full wingtip version comes in.

The one drawback: These things are TRIM. A 10.5 on my borderline wide feet was leaving little to no room at the sides. Forget wearing thicker socks with these things. And ordering a half size up might leave you with way too much toe since they’re pretty long out in front.

Shoe snobs won’t be impressed, but that’s why they’re snobs. These are a huge step up from the Stafford Camlin, yet no where near as expensive as the Allen Edmonds Dalton or Fifth Street. They’re a quality pair of boots that look and feel awfully good,at a price most can afford. Most of us won’t be turning our noses up at that combination.

Your turn guys: Does the Tyndall potentially hit that perfect mid point? Sure it’s bonded, but it’s also attainable for those on a tight budget. Would you give these a shot? Or when it comes to shoes, are you a reverse bell-curve (expensive investments or dirt cheap only) kind of shopper? Leave it all below.

I picked this up on the amazon sale the other day and these run narrow in my opinion. I tried this and the slip on and found them both to be narrow in the heal and toe box. If you think your feet are slightly wider than most but you still wear a D 99% of the time, I think you should consider the fit before purchase.

Many J&M styles are available in a 2E, so that’s an option. I wear a 10.5 3E/4E usually, but a J&M 11 2E generally works fine for me, though it takes a few wears for the leather to loosen up a bit and conform better to my foot. Tends to muck a bit with the silhouette, but short of spending twice the amount on a pair of AEs (or more on Aldens), they’re about the best options out there.

I think it’s pretty darn ugly, but….if you do like the look of a boot, I don’t think it’s a big deal to be cheaper with them. Since they’re not going to be a workhorse in your wardrobe, I don’t see a whole lot of value in getting a pair that you will wear out in a few years and need to get recrafted. I think it’s that balance between frequency of use and durability.

Picked up a pair of Cole Haan Liam Chukkas at DSW in person this weekend. On massive sale at around $130. Can’t find them on the website. They’re a half wingtip in what Cole Haan calls dark brown, but what looks much more burgundy (or oxblood if your prefer). Rubber heel and rubber forefoot and toe. Only a small portion under the arch is exposed leather, and my reasoning was that it was raised enough that it would miss the pavement (seems to be true after the first day of commuting in them). The only downside is the metal eyelets around the lace holes, otherwise, I thought this was a terrific deal.

I’m a 10/10.5 also, don’t have an especially wide foot but these were too narrow for me. I’ve wasted too much $ over the years convincing myself I can overlook an iffy fit, esp w boots, so back they go.